Vibration-type driving device

Abstract

A vibration-type driving device according to the present invention includes a plurality of vibrators in which contact portions perform an elliptical motion using a combination of vibrations in different vibration modes; and a driven object having contact regions that come into contact with the contact portions and move relative to the plurality of vibrators, wherein the contact regions for the individual vibrators differ in position so as not to overlap.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A vibration-type driving device comprising:
 a first vibrator comprising a first contact portion and a second vibrator comprising a second contact portion, wherein a combined vibration of vibrations in different vibration modes is excited in each of the first vibrator and the second vibrator; 
 a driven object comprising:
 a first contact region that comes into contact with the first contact portion; and 
 a second contact region that comes into contact with the second contact portion; and 
 
 a limiting member configured to limit ranges of a relative movement of the driven object and the first contact portion and a relative movement of the driven object and the second contact portion so that the ranges of the relative movements are not overlapped with each other. 
 
     
     
       2. The vibration-type driving device according to  claim 1 , wherein the driven object rotates relative to the first vibrator and the second vibrator; and wherein the first contact region differs in position in a circumferential direction from the second contact region. 
     
     
       3. The vibration-type driving device according to  claim 1 , wherein the driven object linearly moves relative to the first vibrator and the second vibrator; and the first contact region differs in position in the direction of the linear movement from the second contact region. 
     
     
       4. The vibration-type driving device according to  claim 1 , wherein the range of the relative movement of the driven object and the first contact portion and the relative movement of the driven object and the second contact portion are mechanically defined. 
     
     
       5. The vibration-type driving device according to  claim 4 , wherein the limiting member comprises at least two detents and at least a projection provided between the two detents in a direction of the relative movement of the driven device and the first contact region. 
     
     
       6. The vibration-type driving device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a detecting member that detects at least a relative movement distance of the driven object and the first contact portion. 
     
     
       7. The vibration-type driving device according to  claim 1 , wherein the first contact portion and the second contact portion each perform an elliptical motion. 
     
     
       8. The vibration-type driving device according to  claim 6 , wherein the range of the relative movement of the driven object and the first contact portion is defined on the basis of a detection signal from the detecting member. 
     
     
       9. The vibration-type driving device according to  claim 1 , wherein the ranges of the relative movement of the driven object and the first contact portion and the relative movement of the driven object and the second contact portion are electrically defined.